thomson



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. THOMSON. RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

No. 588,Z51. Patented Aug. 17,1897.

(No Model.) Sheets-Sheet 2. I

RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

- Patented Aug. 1'7, 1897.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM THOMSON, OF LARGS, SCOTLAND.

RECORDING INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 588,251, dated August 17, 1897. Application filed October 2, 1896. Serial No., 607,720. (No model.) Patented in England December 28, 1895, No. 24,868.

24,868, dated December 28,1895,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates, primarily, to improvements in that class of recording telegraph instruments first described in my British patent No. 2,147 of 1867, in which the marker is a capillary tube dipping at one end into a stationary reservoir of ink and the ink is spu-rted from or drawn from the opposite end onto the paper, but has application to recording instruments for other purposes. I cause the ink to be drawn from the capillary tube by means of rapid vibrations maintained in the paper in a direction perpendicular to its tangent plane at the place traveled over by the siphon. These vibrations may be maintained mechanically by means of a vibrating soft-iron armature of an electromagnet which carries a platform or roller, or consists of a roller over which the paper is drawn in front of the mouth of the capillary tube. On the spindle of the roller or on a bearing coaxial with it is mounted a friction-clutch of the kind which when turned alternately in opposite directions alternately compels the' roller to move in one direction (which for brevity I call the forward-direction) and exercises a comparatively small tangential I force in the opposite direction.

Springs approximately straight, mounted on the bearings of the roller, press on it nearly in lines through its axis, so as to prevent backward motion and to exercise comparatively small resistance against its motion in the forward direction. To the framework of the frictionclutch is attached an arm so placed that when one point of it is held fixed or nearly fixed by means of two fixed pins or otherwise the vibration of the bearings of the roller causes reciprocating angular motion of the frictionclutch relatively to the bearings of the roller, and so causes the roller to be turned always in the forward direction. The ribbon telegraph-paper is passed between the roller and the springs and friction-clutch, which now press uponthe paper and keep it firm on the roller and cause it and the roller to move in the forward direction in virtue of the reciprocating motion of the bearings of the rollers. The two fixed pins or other appliance, (fol-k, as I shall call it for brevity,) acting on the arm of the friction-clutch, as above described, may be adjusted to different positions, so as to give more or less motion to the paper for each complete vibration of the bearings of the roller. A vibratory motion may be given to the fork, so as to cause the paper to be moved forward in cases-as, for example, ordinary Morse receiving instruments-- in which vibratory motion of the paper perpendicular to its own plane is not needed and in which, therefore, the bearings of the roller are fixed.

In the"drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the paper-feed and recording mechanism. Fig. 2 is a detached view in elevation of the platen-roller and feed mechanism. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the paper-feed.

In the accompanying drawings this invention is shown applied to the siphon-recorder, and the instrument is used as 'a receiving instrument for submarine cables. It consists of a powerful magnet (not shown) having a coil of fine wire B suspended between the poles. Attached to the coil there is a siphon, one end of which dips into the ink-reservoir and the other end is brought down near to the paper strip. The paper is brought from a reel past guide-rollers (not shown) over the armature D of a small electromagnet E. This armature consists of a hollow roller, of soft iron, pivoted to a framework carried by two springs F F. The ink is caused to'be drawn from the capillary tube by means of rapid vibrations maintained in the paper. This is accomplished by causing the soft-iron roller to vibrate rapidly by means of a make and break in the circuit of the electromagnet E.

One of the contacts, f, of the make and break is carried by the springs F, and the other, g, by an insulated spring G. When the circuit of the electromagnet E is closed, the armature is attracted toward the poles ofthe electromagnet and the contact f g is broken.

The armature then springs back and makes contact again at f g. Thus the armature earrying the paper is caused to vibrate rapidly up and down under the mouth of the siphon. The springs F are fixed in an inclined position, so that in virtue of their flexure the paper may be carried vertically up to meet the mouth of the siphon when the armature D rises. The siphon is freed from the paper when the armature falls. Thus a series of dots close enough to form a continuous or nearly continuous ink-line is made on the paper as it is drawn along past the mouth of the siphon.

For drawing the paper along a frictioneluteh I is mounted on the spindle of the roller, which when turned alternately in opposite directions alternately compels the roller to move in one direction and exercises a comparatively small tangential force when turned in the opposite direction. The framework H is pivoted on the spindle of the roller D and has pivoted to it at e the clutch I, which is pressed against the paper by the spring G. The point of contact of the clutch with the paper is slightly in front of the line joining the center of the pivot e and the center of the spindle of the roller. Springs K K, approximately straight, are mounted on the bearings of the roller and press on the paper in lines nearly through the axis of the roller, so as to prevent backward motion and to exercise comparatively small resistance against its motion in a forward direction. Anarm L is attached to the framework of the frictionclutch. The other end of this arm is held fixed, or nearly so, by means of two fixed pins M, so placed that the vibration of the roller will cause reciprocating angular motion of the friction-clutch relatively to the bearings of the roller and so cause the roller to be turned always in the forward direction, and thus draw the paper along. The two fixed pins M or other appliance acting on the arm of the friction-clutch above described may be adjusted to different positions, so as two pins or other appliance acting on the arm of the friction-clutch.

I claim 1. The combination of the marking-point, the paper and platen having means in connection therewith for oscillatingit to and from the marking-point, and suitable means for feeding the paper forward as the platen is oscillated,substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with the markingpoint, the paper and platen, said platen forming an armature, said armature being mounted so as to oscillate and provided with a make and break, suitable means in connection with the armature-platen for rotating it as it is oscillated so as to feed the paper forward, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination with the markingpoint, the paper and platen, said platen being mounted to oscillate to and from the marking-point, and means in connection with the platen for feeding the paper forward as the platen is oscillated, consisting of a frictionarm bearing on the paper and carried by a pivoted framework and a bent spring fixed at one end and having its other end secured to the framework, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM THOMSON.

Vitnesses:

JOHN LIDDLE, J QSEPH HENRY PEARSON. 

